It is often said that the first thing people notice about others is their shoes. Shoes come in a wide variety of materials, colors, and styles. So much so that they are often conduits into the personality of the wearer, as people often have a message they want to convey when they wear a particular set of footwear.
Shoes generally have a sole, an upper part, a tongue and a lace to tie together the upper part of the shoe. Some shoes, however, have snaps or Velcro® in lieu of a lace. Often, people will modify the way they wear their shoes in order to fit in with a crowd or stand out on their own. One popular style involves wearing one's shoes with the laces remaining untied. These individuals will often tuck the laces down inside the shoe, or tie the lace in a knot in such a way that it leaves one end of the lace separate from the other. This can be uncomfortable because once the lace is tucked in the shoe it often works its way in and around one's foot. Outside of causing general discomfort, the friction created can also lead to blisters and other sores. In other instances, the laces loosen on their own requiring users to repeatedly tighten the laces or risk tripping on them and injuring themselves. Thus, there is the need for a technology that addresses these issues while keeping up with the latest in fashion.